Illuminating clock



Aug. 24, 1954 M. A. WEISZ 2,687,470 ILLUMINATING CLOCK- Filed Feb. 11, 1953 I JNVENTOR.

Marry/4; 4. Ive/,2 BY

Patented Aug. 24, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 3 Claims.

The present invention relates to an illuminatg clock in general and to such clock which provides direct and indirect lighting simultaneously, in particular.

It is well known that any lights disposed in front of a television set are reflected on the telerear of the clock.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an electric clock which is equipped with a single light source adapted to provide inlight source which extends through an opening from the reflector to the rear of the clock.

It is still another object of the present invenable means. The plate 3 forms a support for a top plate 1 of lore-determined variable profile and the bottom plate 3 and top plate l form together the housing in which a block 8 preferably of wood, plastic or the like, is inserted adjacent the inner top face of the top plate l. The top plate I may be equipped with a ring 9 of rubber or any in the top plate 7. A rubber sleeve l2 extends through the openings Ia] and H of the ring and the top plate 3', respectively, and is adapted to provide a lead for the incoming cable for the clock motor and for the light source.

The top plate I has a further opening 13 which coincides with an opening I4 provided in the block 8, which openings l3 and M are adapted to receive a hollow threaded bolt 15. The lower end of the bolt l5 carries a corresponding nut l6 and a washer I! is disposed between the nut I6 and the block 8.

The bolt it extends through an opening I8 of the reflector it of the clock 2. The latter comprises the reflector i 9 which is of pie-determined dome shape, open toward its front and closed by a front face ring 25 which is equipped with a number of preferably circular and triangular cutis disposed adjacent the inner face of the front ring 20, and, thereby closing the circular opening 26 of the front ring 20.

A plurality of distancing sleeves 2'! are provided over the screw bolts 23, the rear end of which receives a translucent plate of glass, plastic or the like 28.

plates 24 and 28 in pre-determined position.

The translucent plate 28 has a circular opening 30 which is adapted to receive the base 3| of any conventional clock motor 32.

the clock motor 32, which setting spindle has at its rear end a knurled knob 31.

A socket 38 is mounted by means of screws or any other means (not shown) on the bridge plate 34 to receive a conventional electric bulb The reflector 19 has a circular opening 39 at its rear portion through which the electric bulb 38 extends. It is preferable that at least half of the active portion of the bulb 38 is disposed outside of the reflector 19, while the bottom portion thereof is disposed inside the reflector l9.

The continuing stems 35 are of such length that they engage the inner face of the reflector l9 and are equipped with inner threaded bores 40 to receive screw bolts 4|, the heads of which engage the outer face of the reflector l9 and thereby provide connecting means between the continuing stems 35 and the reflector 19.

Any suitable means may be provided to connect the base 3| of the clock motor to the translucent plate 28, preferably, a plurality of screw bolts 42 are provided which extend through proper openings of the rim of the base 3| and through corresponding openings of the translucent plate 28 disposed adjacent the inner periphery of the latter which are screwed in position by nuts 43.

As stated above, the bolt 15 extends into the reflector i9, and in order to secure the latter to the bolt l a sleeve M is mounted on the bolt l5 and a nut 55 screwed on the upper end of the bolt IE to tighten the sleeve 44 therebetween and the inner face of the reflector is. The bolt 15 is hollow to receive the cables for the operation of the clock motor 32 as well as for the socket 38.

An electric switch 46 is secured by any suitable means preferably to the inner face of the reflector l9 and the stem ll of the switch Q6 extends through an opening of the reflector for the proper operation of the light bulb 38. The opening 39 in the reflector H5 is of such dimensions that the bulb 38 may easily be exchanged without opening the housing or the reflector from the front ring 2B.

The arrangement in accordance with the present invention provides direct lighting to the rear of the clock by means of a portion of the bulb 38 extending outside of the reflector It? as well as by the light rays penetrating through the opening 39 of the reflector bulb 38 disposed inside the reflector. In addition, the latter portion will throw its light rays towards the reflector and reflect the rays towards the translucent plate 28.

The main shaft 48 of the clock motor 32 carries in conventional manner the hands 119 which are disposed between the translucent plate 28 and the plain plate 2%. The latter has a small center opening 5b which receives a short stem 5| projecting from the front center plate 52 of predetermined variable profile, the outer diameter of which is appreciably smaller than the inner diameter of the front ring 26. The latter two elements define the ring portion 53 exposing the plain plate 2 1 in which the movement of the hands 39 is visible and which ring portion 53 appears lit upon switching on the light bulb 38'.

it from the portion of the While I have disclosed one embodiment of the present invention it is to be understood that this embodiment is given by example only and not in a limiting sense, the scope of the present invention being determined by the objects of the claims.

I claim:

1. An illuminating clock adapted to be mounted on a base, comprising a dome-shaped reflector and a front ring plate, means for connecting the said reflector with the said front ring plate, a transparent plate disposed adjacent the inner face of the said front ring plate and a translucent plate having a central opening and disposed inside of the said reflector and spaced apart from the said transparent plate, means for securing the said transparent plate and the said translucent plate in their respective positions, a clock motor having a base plate, the latter being disposed in the said central opening of the translucent plate and means for securing the said base plate to the said translucent plate, the said clockmotor having stems and means for connecting the rear ends of the said stems to the said deflector, a bridge plate connecting the said stems intermediate their ends, a lamp socket mounted on the said bridge plate and a light bulb received by the said socket, the said reflector having an opening of a greater diameter than the widest diameter of the said light bulb and the latter projecting through the said opening to the rear of the said reflector in order to provide direct lighting towards the rear of the clock, and indirect lighting by means of the said reflector toward the said translucent plate, the said clock motor carrying hands disposed between the said translucent plate and the said transparent plate, and a front cover plate of a smaller outer diameter than the inner diameter of the said front ring plate, the latter defining together with the said front cover plate a ring-shaped field exposing a portion of said transparent plate and making visible in the said field the ends of the said hands, means for securing the said front cover plate to the said transparent plate and means for securing the said reflector to the said base.

2. The illuminating clock, as set forth in claim 1, in which an electric switch is mounted on the inner face of the said reflector, the said switch having a stem projecting through the, said reflector for operation of the said light bulb from the outside of the said reflector.

3. The illuminating clock, as set forth in claim 1, in which the said transparent plate has a central opening and the said front cover plate has a short stem, the latter being received by the said central opening of the transparent plate.

References Cited in the file of this patent Feb. 26, 1946 

